Esther commented that she had been to San Tropez and thought f**k it. She added her website on the comment and I had a look. It was then I realised just what an inspiration she is. Esther had an accident that left her lower body covered in severe burns. She has used photography to document her recovery and show another version of beauty. The scars are patchwork in nature and look like fabric in some places, an interesting and striking texture. She has an attractive figure and her scars don't detract from that, in fact they make her quite awesome to look at. (I mean 'awesome' from the literary sense, 'inspiring awe' rather than the Americanism.)
Esther said that she was "shocked by the severity of the scarring. The pain had been more than I could ever have imagined, but now it began to sink in how much my injuries had changed the way I looked as well – although I realised how lucky I was that my face and arms were pretty much unscathed." She has set out now to do something powerful with her experience and documented her recovery through photography. This includes an exhibition looking at self image and the way women see their bodies, more often focusing on their 'shortcomings rather than the beauty.'
We need more people speaking out like Esther. There are thousands of people living with differences but our culture doesn't encourage people to expose them. Our culture's high expectation of perfection and 'sameness' means those with differences can be made to feel ostracized.
Scars are the memory of experience on a person, an experience that could potentially make them a better person or live a more meaningful and appreciative life. They are (literally!) a patchwork of their hard work, a picture of their efforts to survive and to enjoy life to it's fullest.
The Guardian interview with Esther 'A study in Scarlet' click here
For Esther's photography click here
For her wedding photography click here
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